Matthew R. Hibbard

A good photo has great lighting, adequate exposure and acute timing. But a great photo has all of those elements plus a bit of character and a dash of spunk.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to photograph my dear friends Elizabeth and Josh. As we traveled to various places across Columbia, Mo., through many wardrobe changes and action attempts, I had one mission in mind – capture personality.

To capture raw emotion, I had to rely on the basic elements of photography. I had to bring in as much natural light into the frame, capture the subjects with the right about of exposure and keep my finger on the shutter.

I’m honored to be part of the beginning stages of Elizabeth and Josh’s relationship. More importantly though, I am thrilled to have created memories they will no doubt look back on for years to come. These photos capture their happiness and showcase the many effortless smiles they produced.